The present invention relates generally to barreled weaponry, and more particularly to a mounting apparatus for installing a telescopic sight or the like on such a barreled weapon.
There are a great many types of mounting apparatuses for the adjustable securement of telescopic sights and the like on weapons. In all, the common basic endeavor is to fasten the mounted telescopic sight securely, so that its relative positioning with the weapon is maintained.
Expensive hunting weapons mostly employ mounting apparatuses which are custom-made by hand, and which possess very precise and complex surfaces. Where sport weapons and military weapons are concerned, on the other hand, preference is given mostly to more simple and robust mounting apparatuses, which revert to the basic form of the so-called insertion types.
In the case of such an insertion mounting, on the weapon itself, a rail with a dovetail recess is installed or integrally designed thereon. A removable foot or a mounting base with a complementary profile is employed on the sighting device which permits a sliding engagement on the rail with little play.
The rail can be placed on the upper side of the weapon so that its surface at normal firing position runs horizontally. This can, however, be installed on the side of the weapon, so that at normal firing position the surface runs vertically. The rail may be installed at other positions and then coupled with the weapon, such as in the case of a vehicular MG-gun mount. The length of the rail need be only a few centimeters. On the other hand, it can be significantly longer.
A clamping device, such as a set screw in a simple version, penetrates through the mounting base and serves the purpose of affixing this securely to the dove excision of the rail. The shaft of the set screw, when this is done, is arranged in such a manner between the mounting base and the rail that the position of the sighting device in the axial direction of the weapon is always reliably reproducible. Such a mounting apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,166 (Ward). This known mounting apparatus is advantageous because it is compactly made and of small size. The disadvantage lies in a complicated insertion procedure and in discovering the proper fastening position, as well as in the necessarily high level of precision required to manufacture the Ward apparatus.
It is also possible to subdivide the mounting base longitudinally and to move a first part relative to a second part out of engagement with the rail. In this case, the mounting base must not be thrust in an axial direction to engage the rail, but can be affixed on the rail at an optional position by means of displaceable parts. When these parts return into their original positions, they then engage the rail and clamp securely. Such a mounting apparatus is disclosed in European Patent document No. EP 0 444 300 A2 (Repa). In Repa, a longer, off-center linked lever is shown. The lever, proximal to its end, is pivotably fastened on a part of the mounting base. The short end of the pivoting lever is connected to the other part of the mounting base by means of a knee-linkage mechanism, which allows this other part to press with considerable force from the outside against the rail, that is, in a direction contrary to the first part. Since the knee-linked lever mechanism is bent when idle, it exercises a force in the direction of a reverse movement of the movable part.